Athlete/Builder: Snooker
Year Inducted: 2025
Date of Birth: January 15, 1940
Born in: Maniwaki, Quebec

If you’re serious about snooker in Ottawa, then you know him as Budgie. And you also know that there wasn’t a soul in town who could touch Ervin Budge in a snooker match – not many could challenge him in Canada or abroad either.

Born into a family of 13 siblings in Maniwaki, Budge learned to play billiards at age seven in the back of a barber shop, in between shining shoes. He went on to win many International Snooker League tournaments in the U.S., England and around the globe, including a dozen world amateur team gold or silver medals.

Budge was a big-time builder for the sport in the region and in Canada. He helped Broken Cue Billiards open upwards of 20 clean and bright billiards halls in the area.

It helped transform the image of the sport. Budge was a driving force behind the first editions of the national snooker championships, which were held at the Ottawa Civic Centre in the mid-to-late 1970s.

Budgie is also well-known as a tireless philanthropist. A co-founder and CEO of the Elvis Sighting Society out of Moe’s Newport Restaurant, he’s raised funds for piles of community causes, including the Snowsuit Fund, CHEO, the YMCA/YWCA, the Shepherds of Good Hope, the Food Bank and many more.